Humbly Sheweth,

That your Petitioner in June 1779 left said Province with 23 Men and joined a detachment of British Troops Commanded by Lieut. Coll. ALLEN of the Jersey Volunteers at Ebenezer in the Province of Georgia.

That your Petitioner went from thence to Savannah Town where he remained about a Month when he was requested by Col. PREVOST to go to South Carolina to Pilote some Loyalists to Georgia who were much distressed by the Rebells.

That your Petitioner went with 5 Men to Orangeburgh (in Carolina) but the Rebells having gained intelligence of his being in the Country Ordered the light Horse from diffrent parts to go in search of him.

That your Petitioner when retreating with his small force destroyed 3 Public Waggons on their way to Augusta with necessaries for the Rebells and took 8 Prisoners and 18 Horses within a Mile of 30 of the Rebell light Horse who were then in search of him and carried the Prisoners 40 Miles but in attempting to force his way to some Boats on Savannah River was fired on by a Guard of 25 Rebells when the Prisoners made their escape being favored by the darkness of the Night.

That your Petitioner crossed the River about a Mile below the Guard and Arrived safe in Savannah Town where he remained untill about a week previous to the Arrival of the French and Rebells against the Town when he went out to Newport settlement on Bussiness and in attempting to get back to the Garrison was Fired on and Chased about 4 Miles by the Rebell (Polaski's) Dragoons and obliged to swim several Rivers to get to St. Augustine.

That as soon as the French and Rebells were defeated he left Florida returned to Georgia and took post on Ogechee River with 75 Men.

That your Petitioner was ordered by Lieut. Coll. BROWN of the Kings Rangers to go in pursuit of a Banditti of Rebel Plunderers commanded by a Coll. Makay that he followed them into South Carolina and Killed 14 and took some Prisoners.

That he returned to Savannah Town and was ordered to join Coll. BROWN at Abercorn when he commanded all the Horse that marched to Augusta on the expedition in June 1780 and supplied Coll. BROWN with Horses for the Artillery and Waggons.

That your Petitioner went from Augusta to Charles Town where he remained until Coll. STEWART arrived with a detachment of the 3d, 19th & 30th Regiments when he obtained a Commission of Major Commandant of 3 Companies of Militia Horse Called the Independant So. Carolina Volunteers.

That he Marched to Orangeburgh with Coll. STEWART Supplied him with Cattle for the Troops during the March. That your Petitioner remained at Orangeburgh untill Lord RAWDON came from Ninety Six.

That your Petitioner received orders from his Lordship to go with a detachment Commanded by a Major ABERCROMBIE to the Four Holes to escort some supplies for the Army.

That he remained at the Four Holes untill his Lordship came from Orangeburgh when he Marched with his Lordship to Dorchester and took post at that place from Dorchester he Marched into the Garrison.

That your Petitioner having made frequent application to Lt. Coll. Nisbet BALFOUR (at that time Commandant of Charles Town) for his pay for the Services he had done but not being able to get any from him and finding he could not support himself in the Garrison went into the country in Order to try to collect some of his property.

When your Petitioner was taken by a party of Coll. Lee's Dragoons and carried into Genl. Green's Camps where he inform'd Genl. Greene he had come to join him in consequence of which and Genl. Green's not knowing your Petitioner had been Active against him on application he gave your petitioner a pass to go to the High Hills of Santee.

As soon as your petitioner left Rebell Head Quarters Genl. Green received intelligence that your Petitioner had been very Active against the Rebells and Issued orders to apprehend him immediately.

That your Petitioner procured a Suit of Rebell Uniform escaped into North Carolina from thence into Virginia where he Crossed the ridge of Mountains and got on the Western waters and escaped through the white inhabitants and got into the Cherokee Nation of Indians (who had in general been friends to Government) and requested of them a Pilote to go to St. Augustine but was betrayed by a white Man who lived among the Indians Striped of all his cloathes his Horses And Servant taken from him And Your Petitioner made a Prisoner and Carried in to the Virginians by a Guard of 13 Indians and 1 white Man Where your Petitioner is committed to jail.

Afterwards taken out, tried by a Court Martial and parolled when a Report came from South Carolina that he had been very Active and violent against them, in consequence of which a Constable and 4 armed Men are ordered to take his Parole to have him committed to jail and well Ironed.

That your Petitioner made his escape from them and got back to South Carolina but could not get in to the Garrison, the passes being so well Guarded by Green's Army.

That your Petitioner was under the Necessity of quiting his Horse for some time and hideing in the thickest Swamps he could find untill the Garrison was evacuated.

That your Petitioner was then Hunted from one place to Another Untill last May when a Captn. Robert CAMPBELL of the 71st Regiment went to Charlestown and spoke to a Captn. Samuel HILL of the Ship Charlestown Packet to know whether he would grant your Petitioner a passage to England to which he consented.

That your petitioner rode to Charlestown in the Night Agreed for his passage to London rode out in the Night and returned in Private when the Ship was ready to Sail.

That in consequence of your Petitioners Services and Attachment to the British Government he has lost all his Property a Schedule whereof is hereunto Annexed.

Your Petitioner therefore prays that his case may be taken into your consideration in Order that your Petitioner may be enabled under your report to receive such aid or relief as his Losses and Services may be found to deserve.

And your Petitioner
  will ever pray
     Andrew CUMMING

Great Britain, Public Record Office, Audit Office, Class 13, Volume 126, folios 563-564.

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